Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 2: How to Hit Band 7

Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1 in your overall Writing band score. Yet most students treat them as equals. Here is everything you need to know to consistently score Band 7.

The Four Scoring Criteria (Equal Weight)

Each criterion is worth 25% of your Task 2 band: Task Achievement (TA), Coherence & Cohesion (CC), Lexical Resource (LR), and Grammatical Range & Accuracy (GRA). A weakness in any one of these drags your overall score down by the same amount.

Task Achievement: Answer Every Part of the Question

The most common Band 6 mistake is writing a strong essay that only partially addresses the question. Read the prompt twice. If it says "discuss both views and give your opinion", you must do all three — not just discuss both views. Missing any part caps your TA at Band 5.

Recommended Structure for Opinion Essays

Introduction (2-3 sentences): paraphrase the question, state your position clearly. Body Paragraph 1: main argument supporting your view + example. Body Paragraph 2: concede the opposing view, then refute it. Conclusion (2 sentences): restate position, widen to implications. Total: 260-290 words is the sweet spot.

What Band 7 Looks Like vs Band 6.5

Band 6.5: ideas are relevant but not fully extended; paragraphs present but not perfectly sequenced; vocabulary is adequate but repetitive; some complex grammar attempted with errors. Band 7: all ideas clearly extended with well-chosen examples; logical paragraph flow; varied vocabulary with only occasional inaccuracies; mix of complex and simple sentences, mostly accurate.

The Single Fastest Improvement

Practice with real AI feedback after every essay. Without knowing which criterion is dragging your score, you will repeat the same mistakes. Use BandUp to get criterion-level scores — then focus your next session specifically on your weakest area.